Brian Kelly's squad left as a viable contender for a National Championship.

On the legs and arm of Everett Golson, the Irish took care of business by a score of 30-13. Although not an impressive performance from a statistical standpoint, the young quarterback from South Carolina matured and took the next step as a quarterback on the big stage.

For Oklahoma, this is a disappointing defeat. The Irish rush attacked proved to be too strong for the Sooners' defense, and Landry Jones just couldn't exploit match-ups down the field with his myriad of wide outs.